Photographic film and paper processing apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material is described. The apparatus comprises an upright vessel of cylindrical configuration having concentric walls which define a narrow chamber adapted to be filled with processing solution in which the material may be inserted. Radially extending channels are distributed in a circular pattern below the solution level, terminating in a nozzle for directing an impacting streams of the processing solution in the chamber against the emulsion side of the material, resulting in a laminar flow.

United States Patent Samuel Needleman 177 Louis St., Maywood, NJ. 07607 [211 App]. No. 6,713

[22] Filed Jan. 29, 1970 [45] Patented July 6,1971

Continuation-1:1 pm 01 application Ser. No. 751,861, Aug. 12, 1968.

[72] Inventor [54] PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM AND PAPER PROCESSING APPARATUS I 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 95/89, 95/96, 118/429 [51] 1nt.Cl 603d 3/00 [50] Field of Search ..95/89, 90.5,

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,469,825 5/1949 Hornstein 95/97 3,228,316 1/1966 Benardeau et al.. 95/96X 3,427,949 2/1969 Knight et a]. 95/89 Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Assistant Examiner-Alan Mathews Attorney-Frederick E. Bartholy ABSTRACT: An apparatus for processing photographic sheet material is described. The apparatus comprises an upright vessel of cylindrical configuration having concentric walls which define a narrow chamber adapted to be filled with processing solution in which the material may be inserted. Radially extending channels are distributed in a circular pattern below the solution level, terminating in a nozzle for directing an impacting streams of the processing solution in the chamber against the emulsion side of the material, resulting in a laminar flow.

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PATENTEBJUL 6197i 3,590,718

sum 1 or 3 F/GJ INVENTOR 45 JAM [z Mqmx/mw M? l w ATTORN EY PATENTEDJUL sum 3.580118 sum 2 0F 3 INVENTOR 54/11/54 A awu M/l/V ATTORNEY PHOTOGRAPH! FILM AND PAPER PROCESSING APPARATUS This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application, Ser. No. 751,861 filed on Aug. 12, 1968, and is related to my pending application, Ser. No. 826,501 filed on May 21, 1969.

This invention relates to the art of photography and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for processing photographic sheet material, such as film or paper.

In the treatment of photographic materials with various solutions for the development of the latent image and the fixation thereof, it is extremely important that the particular solution be uniformly applied to the emulsion surface in order to prevent uneven action of the reducing agents. Unevenness results in streaks and blemishes which cannot be readily corrected once development has progressed.

It is also important that good surface contact of the solution be achieved in order to obtain consistently satisfactory results. In the processing of multilayer material as used in color photography, it is particularly necessary that such interface contact be established between solution and emulsion surface to provide satisfactory penetration in order to uniformly develop all layers.

Various types of apparatus and methods have been proposed with the above-stated objectives in mind. In presenl practice, tray development and tank development are generally used. In both methods, the material is immersed in the photographic processing solution and is either moved therein, or the solution is agitated, to reduce the surface tension and increase effective contact with the material. Such agitation inherently produces turbulence of the solution. Both types of apparatus require relatively large amounts of solution with respect to the area of the material to be processed and, as such, are inefficient, wasteful, and time-consuming.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an apparatus for processing photographic sheet material in the form of a vessel capable of accepting large sizes of sheet material and uniformly developing the latent image.

A particular feature of the invention is that the apparatus constructed in accordance therewith assures uniform separation between the walls of the processing chamber under varying changes of pressure or temperature.

It is a particular advantage of the invention that the processing vessel incorporates a climatizing solution compartment and therefore does not need to be placed in a climatizing tank.

Other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the invention, pointed out in particularity in the appended claims, and taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a front elevational view, in perspective, of the processing apparatus, a portion being cut away to show the internal construction.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view depicting the processing chamber of the apparatus and the construction of the solution applicators.

Essentially, the apparatus herein disclosed comprises an upright vessel of cylindrical shape, the concentric walls of which form a narrow processing chamber. The chamber is so dimensioned as to freely accommodate the sheet material inserted therein and contains a volume of processing solution sufi'icient for accomplishing the processing step. The bottom of the chamber has a drain conduit connected to the inlet or suction side ofa pump. Built into the wall of the chamber, facing the emulsion side of the sheet material, and in communica tion with the inside thereof, is an applicator which, by means of a concentrically arranged nozzle placed at a critical angle and powered from the outlet or pressure side of the pump, directs a stream of the processing solution in the chamber against the emulsion side of the sheet material. The liquid in the processing chamber is recirculated and at the same time applied, under pressure, to the emulsion surface.

Vessels of narrow, oblong configuration, as disclosed in the aforesaid applications, are well adapted for processing of the standard sizes of photographic sheet materials which generally do not exceed 20x24 inches. However, for all practical purposes, there is a limiting factor in the size of such vessels in that larger sizes require stronger reinforcing ribs spaced in greater number along the walls thereof. This would make the construction bulky. The reason for the need of such reinforcement is that uniform spacing between elongated walls is difficult to maintain in view of the tendency of bulging caused by temperature variations.

The herein disclosed modification of a circular configuration avoids this disadvantage. It eliminates the need for reinforcing ribs altogether and allows the practical construction of large vessels for the processing of any desired size sheet material. In this manner, the preparation of large photomurals or the photographic reproduction of paintings become feasible with ease and accuracy of the processing of the resultant large size prints.

The submerged stream, laminar flow, development of photographic materials has been comprehensively described in the aforestated copending applications. The developing apparatus of the present invention is based on the same principle and method of operation. The modification herein presented centers around the constructional features of the developing vessel which will now be described in detail.

Referring to the drawings and considering FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the apparatus comprises an upright vessel of cylindrical configuration having a base It) which supports the outer wall 11 extending vertically therefrom and terminating in a slanting edge 12. The latter, as will be seen, forms the outer side of a trough I31.

Spaced above the base 110, and at a relatively short distance therefrom, is a circular baseplate M which extends into the, wall Ill and is supported thereby. By this construction, a lowerenclosure 15 is formed which connects, by means of a centrally located outlet 16 and conduit R7 in the base 10, with the suction side ofthe pump Ill.

The baseplate ll l supports the inner cylindrical wall 19 which is of such diameter baseplate to define a narrow cylindrical chamber 20 in cooperation withthe inner side of the outer wall 11. The width of this chamber is so dimensioned as to freely accept the photographic sheet material 21, leaving a relatively narrow space which, as will be seen, is intended to contain the processing solution. The sheet material 21 may be film, paper or any flexible material coated with a photographic emulsion and is bent so as to take on the tubular shape of the chamber 20. The material is generally piaced with the emulsion side facing inwardly of the vessel. The baseplate M has a series of apertures 22 spaced at such radial distance from the center as to provide communication between the chamber 20 and the lower enclosure H5.

The inner wall 19 extends upwardly and terminates in a slanting edge 12 which, together with the edge 12 of the wall 111, forms the trough 13. The wall 19 is of such thickness as to permit the formation of an inner compartment C having the baseplate 14 as the bottom thereof. A top wall in the form ofa disc-shaped cover 23 is solidly attached to the inner side of the wall 19 and closes the compartment C except for the inlet opening at 24. Through this opening, compartment C may be filled with a desired liquid, such as water, which may be kept at a certain temperature by means of an immersion heater 25. The purpose of this, as well as the utility of the compartment C, will be evident upon describing the operation of the processing vessel.

The top wall 23 is so constructed as to define an upper enclosure 26 similar to that of the lower enclosure 15. Radially extending from enclosure 26 and in a ring-shaped baffle plate 27 are arranged a plurality of channels 25! distributed in a circular pattern to cover the entire area of the top wall 23. The

channels 28 have a funnel-shaped configuration so as to form a Venturi and terminate in a downwardly extending nozzle 29 penetrating the inner wall 19. In this manner, communication is established between the processing chamber 20 and the upper enclosure 26.

For purposes of illustration, there are 28 channels shown. It is obvious of course that a greater or lesser number may be used at the discretion of the designer. Upon understanding the purpose and function of these channels, it will be clear that a greater number will produce more uniform processing results than a lesser number.

An inlet to the upper enclosure 26 is provided by the pipe 30 which connects to the pressure or output side of the pump 18. A valve 31 in this conduit serves to shut off fluid flow. A similar valve 32 is arranged in a drainage conduit 33 through which liquid may be drained from the chamber 20 of the vessel.

On the outside of the vessel and attached to the wall 11, there is provided a ringlike structure 35 which surrounds it. This structure encloses a hollow annular space 36 bounded on one side by a baffle plate ring 37 engaging the outer wall 11. The ring 37 has a plurality of channels 38 similar in construction to those of the baffle plate 27. The channels 38 terminates in a downwardly extending nozzle 39 in the wall 11 which communicates with the chamber 20. An inlet pipe 40 communicates with the annular space 36 within the structure 35.

The enlarged partial sectional view of FIG. 4 gives a clearer illustration of the construction and disposition of the two nozzles and their associated channels.

The processing vessel may be supported on a stand 41 having legs 42. This stand provides space for housing the pump 18 and associated piping and valves. It may have various forms. As shown in FIG. 1, by way of example, it consists of downwardly extending legs 42 spaced over a bottom plate 43. Spaces between the legs 42 permit access to the pump and the valves.

Prior to describing the operation of the processing vessel, it is to be noted that both nozzles 29 and 39, respectively, slant downwardly at a certain predetermined angle. In a practical embodiment, a slant of 45 for the nozzles was found to give very good results. Manifestly other angular dispostions of the nozzles may be made if desired. It should also be noted than the disposition of the nozzles 29 and 39 is such that they are placed sufficiently below the trough 13, formed by the lip 12 of the outer wall 11 and the lip 12' of the inner wall 19, and submerged below the level of the developing solution.

It should be noted also that each channel 28 in the baffle plate 27 has the same diameter whereas the channels 38 in the baffle plate ring 37 have a progressively increasing diameter starting, in both directions, from the one facing the inlet pipe 40. The reason for this is, as will be evident in considering the operation of the processing vessel, that the inflow and outflow of the processing solution passing through channels 28 is centrally located with respect to their distribution. On the other hand, since inlet pipe 40 is placed at one side of the ring structure 35, the inflow is at a point eccentric with respect to the placement of the distributing channels 38. Consequently, at the inflow side the pressure would be higher than at the opposite side. The progressively larger diameter channel arrangement assures substantially equal distribution of pressure in the space 36 so that the nozzle velocity of the solution emerging from the nozzle 39 is substantially the same distributed around the outer wall of the chamber 20.

Referring to the operation, the processing vessel is filled with a particular processing solution, e.g., developer, which is poured into the trough 13 so as to completely fill the narrow chamber 20, the lower enclosure 15, and the upper enclosure 26. Since the level of the solution is above the channels 28, the nozzle 29 is submerged in the solution.

In order to maintain a certain temperature for the solution, the inner compartment C is filled with a liquid such as water through the inlet 24 and the heating element 25 is inserted so as to bring this liquid to its proper temperature. The heating element may of course be controlled by a thermostat so as to maintain the temperature at a more or less constant level. By this means, the processing solution will also be maintained at a desired temperature.

The sheet material 21 to be processed is then inserted into the narrow chamber 20 by bending it to conform to the curvature thereof.

The pump 18 is now set into operation forcing the developing solution to enter from the lower enclosure 15 through the pipe 17 into the pipe 30 and thus forcing this through the upper enclosure 26 into the submerged nozzle 29 at a given pressure which forces the developing liquid in a stream against the emulsion side of the sheet material 21. The forceful and uniform impact of the developing solution produces a laminar flow over the emulsion surface, resulting in an even development of the latent image. While the pump is in operation, the solution is recirculated and passes over the emulsion surface distributed in a uniform stream of laminar flow.

For the application of solutions to the other side of the material 21, the inlet 40 is connected to a pump, or, if washing is desired, to a water faucet. The processing solution may first be drained by closing valve 31 and opening valve 32.

In certain applications where the material to be processed has a sensitized coating on both sides, e.g., X-ray film, processing solutions may be applied simultaneously through both applicator nozzles 29 and 39. In this case, the inlet 40 may be connected to the pressure side of pump 18 in a manner similar to pipe 30. I

The above described processing vessel has numerous advantages. Since both the suction and pressure sides of the pump 18 are centrally located and equidistant from apertures 22 and channels 28, the liquid flow is at uniform pressure, requiring no pressure equalization by means of staggered aperture diameters. By virtue of the cylindrical configuration, the inner and outer walls 11 and 19 of the vessel are maintained substantially in parallel relation with each other, requiring no reinforcing ribs. It is not necessary to place the processing vessel into a climatizing tank since, by virtue of this construction, the inner compartment C fulfills this function.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific embodiments herein shown and described but changes may be made within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising an upright vessel of cylindrical configuration having a base and a baseplate, an outer wall supported on said base and an inner wall supported on said baseplate, said inner wall being spaced from said outer wall defining therebetween an annular chamber for the insertion of sheet material to be processed and adapted to be filled with the processing solution, said inner wall having a relatively narrow width, thereby defining an inner compartment over said baseplate, a top wall over said inner compartment, said wall having a plurality of radially extending channels distributed in a circular pattern, each of said channels terminating at one end in a downwardly extending nozzle communicating with said chamber, and at the other terminating in an upper enclosure within said top wall, an inlet to said upper enclosure, conduit means interconnecting said inlet with the pressure side of a pump, a lower enclosure forrned between said base and said baseplate, a plurality of apertures circumferentially placed in said baseplate interconnecting said lower enclosure with said chamber, an outlet from said lower enclosure, and conduit means interconnecting said outlet with the suction side of said pump.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet are substantially centrally located in said top wall and in said base, respectively.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein an outer ringlike structure surrounds said vessel, the walls of said structure defining a hollow annular space bounded at one side by the outer wall of said vessel, a plurality of radially extending channels distributed around said outer wall in a circular pattern communicating with said space at one end and terminating at the other end in a downwardly extending nozzle communicating with said chamber and an inlet pipe to said space attached to said structure.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said top wall has an inlet opening isolated from said upper chamber and communicating with said inner compartment for the purpose of filling said compartment with a climatizing solution and for accommodating a heating element immersed in said solution.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base rests on a bottom support accommodating said pump and permitting access thereto and to valves and piping associated therewith. 

1. Apparatus for processing photographic sheet material comprising an upright vessel of cylindrical configuration having a base and a baseplate, an outer wall supported on said base and an inner wall supported on said baseplate, said inner wall being spaced from said outer wall defining therebetween an annular chamber for the insertion of sheet material to be processed and adapted to be filled with the processing solution, said inner wall having a relatively narrow width, thereby defining an inner compartment over said baseplate, a top wall over said inner compartment, said wall having a plurality of radially extending channels distributed in a circular pattern, each of said channels terminating at one end in a downwardly extending nozzle communicating with said chamber, and at the other terminating in an upper enclosure within said top wall, an inlet to said upper enclosure, conduit means interconnecting said inlet with the pressure side of a pump, a lower enclosure formed between said base and said baseplate, a plurality of apertures circumferentially placed in said baseplate interconnecting said lower enclosure with said chamber, an outlet from said lower enclosure, and conduit means interconnecting said outlet with the suction side of said pump.
 2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet are substantially centrally located in said top wall and in said base, respectively.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein an outer ringlike structure surrounds said vessel, the walls of said structure defining a hollow annular space bounded at one side by the outer wall of said vessel, a plurality of radially extending channels distributed around said outer wall in a circular pattern communicating with said space at one end and terminating at the other end in a downwardly extending nozzle communicating with said chamber and an inlet pipe to said space attached to said structure.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said top wall has an inlet opening isolated from said upper chamber and communicating with said inner compartment for the purpose of filling said compartment with a climatizing solution and for accommodating a heating element immersed in said solution.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said base rests on a bottom support accommodating said pump and permitting access thereto and to valves and piping associated therewith. 